Box-covering apparatus



June 22 1926. 1,589,586

R. G. CLARK BOX COVERING APPARATUS Filed p l 24, 1924 11 sheets-sheet '1 as W 136 33 [32,

1?. Clark June 22 1926.

R. G. CLARK BOX COVERING APPARATUS Filed. April 24, 1924 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 3 9N1: 1? 3 0 2 w H 13' 3 U B w 5 I u 7 oh a 99 I u w m 3 MW T 7 1 m 5 2 4 June 22 1926. 1,589,586

R. G. CLARK BOX COVERING APPARATUS- Filed April 24, 1924 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 22 1926.

R. G. CLARK Box "COVERING APPARATUS Filed April 24,

1924 i1 sheets-Shet e MHIIWINIIBII .\.I IlilllllJA l'allll EuR R. G. CLARK BOX COVERING APPARATUS June 22,1926. 1,589,586.

Filed April 24, 1924 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 33 771' H 4 I o gr m5 104 1/4 June 22 1926. 1,589,586

R. CLARK BOX COVERING APPARATUS Fi p i 2 1 2 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 June 22 1926 R. G. CLARK BOXCOVERING APPARATUS Filed April 24, 1924 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 IKGQC ark. 7715 flue mew A June 22 1926;

1,589,586 R. G. CLARK BOX COVERING APPARATUS Filed p 2'4, 19 1; Sheets-Sheet, 10

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@5 71 115 GHQ 014mg June 22 1926. 1,589,586

I R. G. CLARK BOX COVERING APPARATUS Filed April 24, 1924 11 51 1 41 1; 11

awuwutoz 351 715 MMW Patented June 22, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,589,586 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT G. CLARK, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LIBERTY AUTOMATIC PAPER BOX MACHINE CORPORATION, OF BROOKLYN, YORK, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK.

BOX-COVERING APPARATUS.

Application'fifed April 24, 1924. Serial No. 708,763.

This invention relates to apparatus for covering boxes of cardboard or the like to embellish and enhance the appearance thereof, which is commonly known as stripping apparatus in which a gummed web or strip is applied to the outer sideof the box, and it is a primary object of the invention to provide a machine of this character which is simple, compact, cheap in structure and eflicient in use.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide apparatus for this purpose in which the operations are entirely automatic wherein the boxes placed on a conveyor are positioned relative to a rotatable support and transferred from the conveyor to the support when mechanism is set in operation to apply the leading end portion of a gummed covering web to a side of a box on the support when the box support is intermittently rotated and during such rotation the web wrapped around the sides of the box, means being provided relative to which the sides of the box with the web are successively positioned during the periods or intervals of rest to press the web against the side of the box, and after a predetermined number of rotative movements have been imparted to the support with the box thereon means are actuated to sever the web after which the box transferringmeans is again operative to transfer the covered box from the support and reposition it on the conveyor when the operations are repeated.

In the covering of boxes a web is utilized of a width greater than the depth of the box and positioned so that lateral portions of the web will extend beyond the bottom and edges of the sides at the open end which lateral portions are folded over the side edges and against the bottom. In box covering and stripping machines it is the practice to apply the covering web or strip to the sides of the box as it is .urged with its support with the lateral portions of the covering web extending beyond the edges at the open end and bottom of the box when the box is removed from its support and said lateral portions of the web manually folded against the bottom and over the edges of the box, and it is a further object of the invention toprovide means in box covering apparatus relative towhich the sides of the box with. the co'vering'web are successively.

presented and operative concomitantly with the pressing of the web against the side of the box to fold the extended lateral portions of the web against the bottom and over the edge at the open end of the box.

It is a further object of the invention to provide box covering or stripping apparatus which is adjustable to adapt the same to the covering of boxes ofvariable sizes.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear. 1

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification Figure lis a side elevation of a box covering apparatus illustrating an embodiment of my'invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view with a portion broken away.

Figure 3 is a front elevation looking at the right of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail view in end elevation of modified means to limit the movement of an elevator carrying means for folding the lateral portions of the web against the bottom and over the edges at theopen end of a box.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 3'to show the arrangement of the driving means for the box support rotating 'means, and means for transferring a box from and to the box support.

Figure 6 is a sectional end elevation substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows with parts broken away to illustrate certain features of the box transferring means.

Figure 7 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 77 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows of means actuated by a box on the conveyor for setting the box transferring means in; operation to move a box from the conveyor to the support.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view on side elevation of the upper portion of the apparatus, partly in section, to illustrate the driving means for the box support rotating means and the box transferring --means' as well as the means to position and apply the leading end portion of a covering web or strip to a box on the support. 7

Figure 9 is a detail view, partly in section, looking at the lefthand end of Figure taken S to illustrate the driving means for the box support, guiding means therefor and the box transferring means, and also a part of the means for adjusting the apparatus to adapt the sameto boxes of different sizes.

Figure is a side elevation, partly in section and on an enlarged scale 01'' fluid actuated means operative during the rotative movements of the box support to impart reciprocatory movement to the support concomitant with the rotative movements of the support.

Figure 11 is a longtudinal sectional detail view of 'eo'i'itro'l-nieans forthe fluid actuated means shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a' enlarged view in perspective of an. elevator carrying means to told the lateral portions of the covering Web on the boxsu' pert againstthe'bottom and over the edges ofthe sides at "the open end oi the box.

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view of the means shown in Figure 12 to tol'd the lateral portions of the covering web "against the bottom and over the edges oi": the box at the open end and showing the foldin means in operative relation to a box on the support.

Figure lt is a perspeetiveview at an meteoric movethe rri'e'ans'to told the lateral portion of the web over he edges "at the open'end of the box.

"Figure 15 is a sideelevat'ion otthe conveyor on an enlarged -scale showing the means to mount and adjust the same.

Figure 16 is a longitudinal. seetioi'ial view to show the adjustable mounting on the con Figure '17 is a seoti'o 'i'al view taken on the line 1717 of Figure '15 looking in the direction of the arrows to show stop means engaged by a boxo'n the conveyor and thereby to set the box transferring nie'ans in motion ton-austea box from the conveyor to the support.

Figure 18 is a longitudinal seetional view to show themo'unting of a wiper to press the web against the side-eta box during the periods of rest of "the box supporttogether with its aet'u it means, and the elevator carrying means to -fold the lateral portions of the'web against the bottom and overth'e edgeat the open "end of a box and showing said web pressing and folding means in relation to a box, illustr'atin'g e'utter mechanism for severing the hovering web and actuating means for said butter 'i'nechanisni operative from the wiper "actiiati'ng means, together with the adju' t'abl'ef iouiitin for tlie box support.

Fi e 19 is *av'iewioekiug at th'e'top of Figure 1'8 to show the web "severingnieelr anism in operatii e 1 tien to severthn 'weh ii'd aetiiatin'g--mea1is, "together with the meme-fer ae'jueaugfithe api-paratus to iadap't the same to the covering of boxes of different sizes.

Figure 20 is an elevational view of the cutter mechanism and its actuating means.

Figure 21isan elevational view of the means to support, position and apply the leading end portion'ot' a covering web to a box and its actuating means showing the same in normal inoperative position.

Figure 22 2 view similar to Figure 2i to show the positions the parts will assume then'applying the leading-end portion of a web to 'the'sideof the box.

Figures 23 to QS'inCliIs'iVe are perspective views of a hox showing the successive or cyclc of operations of applying the leading end portion of the'coi-e'ring Web to the side of the box, Wrapping the Web around the sides of the box as it-is intermittently rotated, 'ii-essing "the web to 'the'sides-oi' the box and folding the lateral portiorisof'tho web against the bottom and over the ettge at theope'n end of the box,=ai'1d the severi'n-g'of the web.

Figure 29'is a perspective view lo'olri 'g zit tine pen end 01 :1 covered hox.

Figure 30 a perspective View looking at the bottom ot'the coveredbox ;--'and web to show the arrangement thereof in folding the web over thendge'at'the open end of a box which-is of greater length than Similareharaoters of reference designate like parts throughout the different views of the drawiiigs.

r he embodiment "(it the invention illus itetl in the drawingscomprises a base B in ring a standa d Sinoiln-teclthereon upon which the opera .ve patts-ot-theapparatus are-mounted andsupported. A box form of suitablematerial, such asivood, and of rectangular shape consistingot an end member 1 and sides 2 (FigureS) adjustably inoun ed"hr-screwsor 'bolts passing through the end uiemoer upon a head 3 hired to a shaft ljournaled in 'a bracket 5 mounted on a carrier 6 'slida'b'ly supported. upon a braeiet T mounted upon the standard S. 4 withth'e head 3 constitutes what ed herein as a rotatable liox form tl lie'sh-att lrotated by a shaft tiv v connectedthereby by a bevel n f on said shaft mesl'iing with a bevel 11 hi) on the shaft 4:, theshaft Sbeing r ly supported in the Carrier 6 and. sl' ctabl'v engh'gi ng in and lreved to a hollow stul shaft-'8' to rotate therewith "and have axial movem nt relative tl'1ereto,-said sl'1aft 8 being jouri'i-azled in the bracket 7 and driven from -a telescoping shaft rotatable on a vertical "2 I shaft seetion 1O joutna-led-in the bracket 7 and ehe-ftseetion 110 journeleitih 'e 'l'a'reel et '15-; and-consisting of a hollow 11 mounted on the standard S and slidably engaging in and keyed to theshaft section 10 to rotate therewith and have slidable movement relative thereto for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The stud shaft 8 has a bevel pinion 8" fixed thereto meshing with a pinion 10" on the shaft section 10 to operatively connect the two.

The telescoping shaft 10, 10 is-intermittently rotated and thereby the box form supporting shaft 41 by a Geneva gear comprising a wheel 12 fixed to a shaft 13, said wheel being arranged with radial slotted and equidistantly spaced projections 14:, there being six of these projections utilized in the present instance, whereby the box support is given six intermittent rotative movements in one cycle of operation in covering a box on the box support. (Figures 1,3, 5, 21 and 22.) The wheel is intermittently actuated from a shaft 15, herein termed as the driven shaft, by means of an arm 16 fixed to said shaft carrying a roller mounted on a stud projecting laterally from the end of the arm, as at 17, and adapted to engage successively in the slots of the radial projections 14 of the disk 12, said arm being arranged with relation to said wheel whereby during one revolution of the driven shaft 15 the roll 17 will engage in a slot in a projection 14 and move-said wheel one-sixth of arevolution and move out of said slot positioning the wheel so that the in juxtaposed relation to the roll carrying arm 16, or it may be constructed integral therewith, which is adapted to engage in curved recessed portions 19 intermediate the slotted projections 14 of the wheel 12, the disk 18 having a segment 20 removed therefrom, radially to which the roll carrying arm 16 extends, to permit of the passage of the slotted arm 1a of the wheel 12 as it is moved by the arm 16. The telescoping shaft 10, 10 is operatively connected to the shaft 13 by a bevel pinion 21 meshing with a bevel pinion 21 on shaft 13.

The driven shaft 15 is driven from a suitable source of power, such as a pinion (Figure 5) fixed to the power shaft 22 one motor (not shown) meshing with a gear 23 fixed to a hollow shaft 24 journaled in the standard or frame-work upon and through which the shaft 15 extends and operatively connected to the shaft 15, in the present instance shown as a clutch for a purpose to be hereinafter described. One member of the clutch is fixed to the shaft 15 in abutmounted on and keyed to the hollow shaft 24 to participate in the rotative movement and have axial movement thereon, the clutch member 26 being thrown into and out of operative relation with the clutch member 25 in a manner and for a purpose to be hereinafter described by a shifter 27 (Fig ure 6') rpivotally supported by blocks fixed to the base B, said shifter having arms 29 to engage at opposite sides o the clutch member 26 and rotatably carrying studs having heads to engage in an annular groove in the clutch member, as shown at 2%). will be obvious that when the eriving shaft 2 1- is coupled to the driven shaft lathrough the clutch that the latter shaft will be ro tated' and therewith the member 16 of the Genevav gear the latter co;o 3erating with the Geneva wheel 12 to intermittently rotate said wheel and thereby the shafts 1t), 10 and 8, 8 and rotate, the box form support.

As a box is placed upon the box support and during the interim of placing the box thereon and the intermittent rotation of the box form support the leading end portion 31 of a box covering web or strip W from asupply roll 32 is applied thereto. (Figures 1, 2, 8,21, 22and 2a.) The. roll 32 is rotatably supported in arms mounted up on the framework with the web passed from said roll and over a roll 3 f rotatably carried by and engaging in a box 35 carrying an adhesive, such as fluid gum, whereby said web in passing over said roll the roll will be rotated carrying the gum from the box and applying the same to one surface of the web. From the roll 34' the web passes around a roll 36 rotatably carried by the adhesive carrying 'box,aind from said roll 56 is passed over a guide roll 87 rotatably carried by the arms 33 and thence over a roll 88 rotatably carried by an arm 39 fixed to and extending upward from the framework. From the roll 38 the web passes over a roll i0 journaled in a bifurcation 41 at one end of an arm 42 pivotally supported at the opposite end upon the framework.

The arm is moved to position the end carrying the web carrying roll 40 with the leading end portion 31 of the web adjacent a side and the corner of a box C on the form support and away from the support in proper timed sequence to the intermittei'it movement of said support by the Geneva gear through a cam 43 on the shaft 15 (Fi ures 5, 21 and 22) actuating a lever 44 carrying a cam follower roller 4:5 intermediateits ends to engage the cam, the lever being pivotally supportedon a said, as at as, car-- ried by an arm 47 having a hub 48 whereby it is supported'upon the shaft 15 (Figure 5) and held in fixed position against! move ment with the shaft by securing the sameto the framework, as shown at 49. The lever as is connected to the roller carrying arm d2 by a rod 5 0.. As the cam following roller elf) rides off from the high portion'o't the cam the arm 42 will be moved ther with due to the weight of said lever and arm and the parts carried on the latter thereby moving the roll carrying end of the arm 42 from the position shown in Figure 21 to that shown in Figure 22. As the arm 42 is moved to the position indicated in Figure 22 the leading end portion 31 ot the web is applied to the side of the box adjacent the corner thereof. This means comprises a presser lever 51 01 bail shape pivotally carried by the arm 42 on the axis of retation of the roller 40, one end or the connecting portion of the lever being arranged with a head faced with a yielding material, such as soft rubber, as shown at 52. to en the web and press it against the box. The presser lever is arranged with a projection 51 whereby it is pivotally connected to a link 53pii' otally connected to the fixed arm 39. Tt will be obvious that due to the connection of the presser lever with the fixed arm 39 that as the roll carrying arm 42 is moved to theposition shown in Figure 22 the presser head carrying 'end '01 the lever will be moved toward. the box C on the support. As the leading end portion of the web is positioned relative to the box on the support during the moven'ient of the arm 452 due to the lever roll l5 riding o'l'l from the cam 43 the free curved end 5% will engage in a radial recess 55 in a disk 56 fixed to the shaft 13 in juxtaposed relation to the wheel 12 of the Geneva gear and thereby lock the (lenevav gear against movement during the positioning and applying of the leading end portion of the web to the box on the support.

After the leading end of the web has been plied to the box the movement of the ra n 43 is so timed that'it will raise the lever 45 and thereby the roll carrying arm 42 moving the presser lever 51 and the web supporting roller 0 to the position shown in Figureill. lVhen the box is .rotated with the box form the web is being withdrawn from the supply roll over the roller 40 and wrapped around the box during the rotation thereof. 'lfopermit of the web having feeding'movement over the roller 4-0 and prevent retrograde movement thereof or the slipping ot the web over the roller as the roller is moved with the arm 42 to position tl e leading end of the web relative to the box on the box supportgrippers and provided to yieldingly engage and hold the web against the "roller. saidfgrippers comprising counter-weighted lingers -58 pivotally mounted 011a rod 59 extending trans versely ot'the bifurcated end 4C1 *ofthe iarm 452, the counterweights being soarranged as to anove the fingers towardgthe roller and any retrograde movement :or the web will tend to forcibly impinge the lingers against the roller clamping the web theretoi while feeding movement over the roller will tend to move the lingers outward from the roller against the pressure of the weighted ends.

To maintain the box with the side thereof in subdantially the same plane as the leading end portion of the covering web and cause the box to exert a straight pull upon the web as it is drawn from the supply roll 32 and at all times maintain it in contiguous relation to the side of the box the box form support is reciprocated transversely to its axis of rotation during the rotative movements thereof, means being provided to guide box in said movement and relative to which guiding means the form support is positioned during the perioos or intervals of rest to facilitate the operation of means to wipe and press the web against a side of the boxand also facilitate the folding of lateral portions of the web against the bottom and over the edge at the open end of the box. For this purpose the carrier (S for the form support is slidably mounted and the driving shaft 8 for the form support is mounted to have axial movement. This reciprocatory movement is imparted to the box form support through suitable mechanism, in the present instance shown as fluid actuated means comprising a cylinder 60 having at opposite ends (-30 and 60 arranged for mounting upon the bracket 7, as at 61, said heads having ports 62, 62 for the admission and exhaust of the motive fluid and communicating with valve chambers 63, 63. A piston 64. reciprocable in the cylinder is connected by a rod Gel with too supporting bracket 5, as at 65, for the box form support, said rod passing through the head 60 and a stufiing box 66 arranged in said head. The cylinder is connected'through the ports 62 62 to a source of motive fluid, such as an air pressure tank. which may be arranged in the base E (Figure 1) and the pressure maintained in said tank by a suitable pumping mechanism (not shown) connected to the tank as by a pipe 67. A pipe 68 leads from said tank and is connected to a branch pipe (38 in communication with ports 69, 69 leading to the valve chambers 63, 63. The admis sion of motive fluid pressure and the exhaust from the cylinder through ports 62. 62 is controlled by a pair of valves 70. 70 slidable in the valve chambers and connected as at 71", to actuate said valves in unison said connection being a flexible one to prevent the binding of the valve should they get out of alineinent. The valve 70 has a, port Tl adapted to be placed in register with the ports 62 and 69 to connectthe cylii'ider at the "forward end of the piston with the:fiuidpressure supply, and-the valve 70 has a port 71 adaptefdto-be placed in register with the ports 62 and 69 to connect the cylinder at the rear of the piston with the fluid pressure supply.

The fluid pressure isexhausted from the cylinder at the rear of the piston through a port 72 in the valve 7 0 having an opening through the lateral wall of the valve adapted to be placed in register with the'port 62 in the cylinder head and having an outlet opening laterally of a portion of the valve extending beyond the cylinder and at all times open to the atmosphere, the valve mechanism being connected through said valve extension, as at 7 3, to be actuated by the movable member 74 of a gauge, which is pivotally supported at 75 to a fixed gauge member 74, said gauge member being provided to guide the box form support in its rotative and reciprocatory movements in the manner hereinafter described. The exhaust froin the cylinder at the front of the piston is through a port 7 6 in the valve 70 having an opening through the lateral wall thereof adapted to be placed in communication with the cylinder port 62, said valve port 76 opening to the atmosphere through the end of the valve. To cushion the piston or plunger 64 and thereby the box support to prevent sudden retractive movement the exhaust of the air through the valve port 76 the passage of the air through the port 76 is restricted which restriction may be varied. For this purpose a plug 77 is threaded into the outlet end of the valve port 7 6, said plug having a tapered slot 77 (Fi ure 11) in the wall and extending longitudinally thereof, the bottom wall to said recess tapering from the'inner to the outer end of the plug. It will be obvious that when the port 71 in valve 70 is in register with the ports 62 and 69 with fluid pressure will be admitted to the cylinder at the rear of the piston thereby causing the fluid pressure to move the piston into the cylinder and thereby moving the box form support in the same direction. In this position of the valve 7 O the port 76 of valve 70 will be in register with the port 62 connecting the cylinder forward of the piston with the atmosphere and thereby permitting of the exhaust of the motive fluid pressure from in front of the piston. hen the valves are adjusted as shown in Figure 11 with the port 71 in valve 7 O in communication with the cylinder in front of the piston through port 62 and in communication with the fluid pressure supply through port 69, the cylinder at the rear of the piston is open to the atmosphere for exhaust of the motive fluid pressure by the valve ports 72 being in register with the cylinder port 62. The valve mechanism is normally urged in a direction with a collar 78 on the connecting portion of the valve 70 with valves 70 through the valve chamber 63 by 'aispring 78 coiled about the connection of the'valves and confined between the valve chamber 63 and a collar 79 fixedly carried by the valve mechanism. It will be obvious that due to the connection 65 of the piston With the supporting bracket 5 for the box form support that the latter will participate in the movements of the piston and be reciprocated transversely of its axis of rotation.

To guide the box form support in its rotative and reciprocatory movements and position the same relative to means to Wipe and press the web against the sides of the box and fold lateral portions of the covering web against the bottom and over the edge of the sides at the open end of the box, a guide frame is provided which guide frame is adustable to adapt the apparatus for covering boxes of variable sizes. This frame comprlses an arm 80 fixed intermediate its ends upon the shaft 4 of the box support to extend diametrically opposite'from the axis of said shaft and has slots 80 arranged. in the opposite ends. Arms 81 are mounted lntermediate their ends in the slots of the arm 80 by bolts 82 to have adjustment in the slots 80 towardand away from theaxis of the shaft of the box support and to extend transversely and laterally of the arm 80, the opposite ends of said arms being arranged with slots 81, rollers 83 being supported insaid arm slots 81. by means of studs 83 on which the rollers are rotatable,

'to have adjustment toward and. away from the arm 80. The box support is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in: Figures 8 and 10, and during the rotative movement thereof the'box to whichthe leading end portion of the covering .Web has been applied will exert a pull upon the web to unwind it from the roll 32 and wrap it around the box, the portion of the side of the box to which the web is applied being substantially in a plane with and below the web supporting and guiding roll and belng retained in this position by the frame rollers 83 engaging with the guide memhere 74. 74. As a roller 83 engages with the guide member 74 due to the connection of said guide member of the valve mechanism 70 70 of the fiuid actuating mechanism. said valve mechanism will be moved to the positions shown in Figure 11' connecting the cylinder forward of the piston 64 through ports 62, 71. and 69 with the source of motive fluid supply which will exert its force'upon the piston to move the same outward or toward the box form support and the latter participating in said movement. The motive fluid in the cylinder at the rear of the piston during this movement of the pistonis exhausted through ports 62 and 72 which in this position of the valve mechanism are in register. As the roll rides off from the-gauge member 74 onto the gauge member 74 the tension of the ill! lBU

spring actuatingv Naivev 78. .willmove the valve.inreverse direction until the stop co1- lar abutsag'ainst the valvetiiithereby placing the ports, 62,71".and 69-. in register and connecting.theacylinder at. the rear of the pistoni with the motive. fluid supply, and simultaneously .tlie ,valve -70 will be moved with the exhaustport 76 therein in register witlrthe eylinjder port 62 to exhaust the .motive: fluid fromthe cylinder infront of the cylinder. sAs a pair ofrollers 83 on the guide 't'rameuengage with the gauge members 7 1, 7st,as.shown in. Figures land 10., thebox iorm support reciprocating means. will be maintained i-niequil'ibrium with the cylinder ports 62, 62 shut offi bythe valve mechanism from the motive fluidv supply and also from the exhaust ports in the valves as shown in Figure'ld, m;

.Asthe box form support is positioned relative to the gauge members 74, 74 the coveringaweb isrfirnijly pressed against the side :of. the boXO on the box. form on the supportpo'sitioned and extending'. 1n parallel relation to said gauge members by a wiper -85. ofiyielding material, such as. soft rubber releasablycarried in bifurcation 86 ot a carrier 87 of right angle, sha'pein cross section pivotal'ly supported by. abracket 88 attached to a slide. .89, mounted to have ver: tical reciprocablemovements in aslideway of a bracket 90 fixed onthe "framework, the wiper carrier 89 being urged in-a direction to press the wiper against; the box bya spring or springs 91;;"coi'led abouth'eaded studs threaded into the supporting bracket f'orthe wiper carrie r,;the sprmgbeing confined between the heads ofsaid-studs and the car rier (Figure 18).- Thewiper. carrierslide 89;:is operatively connected by. a rod 93 with a disk 92 rotatable with the driven shaft 15, one end of the rod beiiag pivotallymounted upon a stud 94'fiXed in and extending laterally from tlie'slide and the other 'end pivotally connected toithe disk eccentric to its axis of rotation, whereby, as the disk is r'otated. the wiper carrying slide is reciprocated. To impart reciprocable movements of variable extentto the wiper to adapt the same for the pressing ofthe Web to boxes'o'f diff61G11t;SlZ6S the connection of the rod or link of the series of openings 97vinthe disk.

The movement 56f thewiper carrying slide is so timed witlrr'elation to the rotative movement of the boxform s'uppo'rt sov that when the box isfpositioned relative to the, guide members 74;, 74* i'and-duri-ng aperiod ;of

'restor the form rsupportthe wiper will be moved upward and yieldingly though foreibly pressed against the web and thereby causing the web to adhere to the box. As the wiper completes its upward movement another intermittent movement will be imparted to the box form support through the Geneva gear to position another side thereof relative tothe gauge member 7 1, 7% and during such movement of the box form retracting movement will be in'iparted to the wiper. I

In covering boxes of this character a covering web or strip is provided of width so that the lateralportions thereof may be toldedover the corners at the juncture oi the sides with the bottom oi the box and against the bottom, and also overthe edges and edges at the open end of the box is presented to means to fold said lateral portions against the bottom and over said edges. ,The one lateral portion is folded against the bottom of the boxby fingers 100 (Figures 1., 3, 12 and l3) of resilient and yielding sheet material secured at one end as by screws to blocks 101, said blocks being arranged at the. back of T-shaipe in cross section to engage in a correspondingly shaped'recess, as at 102,in a head 102 with thefol'ding fingers in juxtaposed relation shown thereby producing in effect a folder comprising a. series of resilient sections one of: which is movable independently of the other. The free ends of the fingers extend beyond the head and have the extremities bent or curved backward whereby to provide a smooth surface to slide over the covering web and the bottom-of the box. The fingers are so tensioned that the inherent tensions thereof normally tends to move the .rec ends ot the fingers forward toward the head and into engagement with a led 103 on the head arranged intermediate the ends or extremities of the fingers. The finger carrying; head102 is carried by an elevator 104 by supporting bars 105 slidably mounted in openings in the elevator, as at 106, to have adjustment laterally of said elevator to adapt said folding fingers to operate upoinboxes of different depth, the finger carrying head being rocked in adjusted position by set screws 10? threaded into bosses on the elevator and engaging the head supporting bars 105. (Figures and 13.)

The elevator is sliicably mounted for revciprocable movement upon the supporting bracket 90 forthe reciprocable carrier 89 for the wiper S5 by lugs 108 extending laterally i'rom the elevator (Figure 12) engaging between gibs on the wiper carrier support 90 and secured thereto by a bolt 109 passing through an opening in the elevator and a longitudinal slot 110 (Figure. 18) in the wiper carrier, and blocks 111 slidably engaging between gibs on the side of the wiper support carrier opposite to the elevator and interposed between said carrier support 89 and a nut on the bolt- The elevator is frictionally connected to the wiper to be reciprocated thereby by interposing a washer 112 of friction material, such as leather, between the guide block 111- for the elevator and the support for the wiper carrier. The elevator participates in the upward or web pressing movement of the wiper until the elevator engages with or abuts against the side of the box C on the form of the box suppor which is at the bottom and to which side the web had been pressed by the wiper during the previous period of rest of the box support the lateral portions of the web extending beyond the top and bottom of the box. The engagement of the elevator with the box arrests the movement of the elevator when the wiper will complete'its movement independent of the elevator which is permissible due to the frictional connection of the elevator with the wiper carrier and the engagement of the elevator supporting block 109 in the slot 110 of the wiper carrier. As the elevator approaches the box support the free end of the fingers 100 will engage with the covering web on the side of the box slightly beyond the corner or juncture of the bottom with the side and as the elevator continues to move upward the free ends of the fingers ride over the corner of the box and be moved against the inherent tension thereof and forcible though yieldingly slid along the bottom of the box thereby folding and firmly pressing the lateral portion of the web against the bottom of the box and 7 drawing the web taut during such movement, as shown in Figure 30. As the elevator abuts against the box on the support means actuated to fold the lateral portion of the web over the edge of the side at the open end of the box and engaging with the elevator. This means comprises a series of resilient lingers 100 similar to the lingers 100 secured at one end by screws to blocks .101 having the under side arranged to "i"- shape in cross section to engage a correspondingly shaped recess 102 in a table 1141 slidably mounted. at the ends between gibs 113 on theelevator to have reciprocatory movemem; in. a direction toward and away from the finger carrying head 102. Reciprocatory movement is imparted to the linger carrying table 11 1 by a slide 115 mounted to have reciprocatory sliding movement in the elevator below the table 114, said slide having cam slots 116 arranged at substantially forty-live degrees transversely of the slide, rectangular cam follower blocks 117 slidably engaging in said cam slots and being mounted in the linger carrying table 11 1- by studs 118. It will be obvious that as the slide 115 is moved longitudinally in one direction due to the described connection thereof wit-h the table the latter will be moved in a direction toward the finger carrying head 102 and the open end of the box on the box support engaged by the elevator. The free ends of the fingers 100 by their inherent tension normally engage with a ledge 103 extending longitudinally of the table at the free ends of the fingers and as the table with the fingers are moved toward the box on the support the curved ends of the lingers will. engage below the lateral portion of the web-and fold the same over the edge of the box against the inner surface thereof, as shown in Figure 13, the fingers pulling the web in a taut condition over said edge. As the slide 115 is moved in reverse direction the fingers will be moved away from the box on the support. The reciprocatory movement is imparted to the table actuating slide by an actuator comprising a vertical rock shaft 120 rotatably mounted in the framework having a web 121 fixed thereto and extending laterally from and longitudinally of said shaft engaging anotch 122 in the slide. The slide actuating rock shaft 120 is operated just previous to the termination of the web pressing movement of the wiper by a cam portion 123 on the wiper carrier actuating disk 92 co-operating with a cam follower 124 connected to the rock shaft 120 eccentric to its axis. The rock shaft is returned to initial position by a spring as shown. The wiper carrier commences its return movement just previous to the commencement of an intermittent movement of the box support and during the initial movement of said wiper carrier due to the frictional connection thereof with the elevator it will move the elevator therewith to move the elevator away from the box on the box support to permit rotativemovement of said support with the box. The elevator participates in the downward or return in vement of the carrier until the elevator is arrested by engaging a roller 125 (Figures 1 and. 3) carried at one end of a stop arm 12-6 pivotally supported at the opposite end to a bracket 12? fixed to the frameworl The free end of the arm is supported in predetermined position in relation to the movement of the elevator by a link 12S pivotally connected at one end intermediate the ends of the stop arm and at the other end to the mounting b acket 7 for the box form. During the retrograde movement of the elevator and wiper a further rotative movement is imparted to the box form to present another side of the box to the wiper and present the side of the box which had previously been presented for action thereon by the wiper to the means to fold the lateral portions of the web against the bottom and over the edge at the open end, of the box, when the above described operations of the wiper and folders is repeated, and this operatio ris repeated until web wiper has been applied to all of the sides of the box.

Means are provided to sever the web after four intern'iittent movements have been imparted to the box by the box support, said ieans comprising a pair of cutter or shear blades 130, 181, the plate being connected to or constructed integral with the blade 132 whereby it is mounted in fixed position upon an arm 1323 fixed to a rock shaft li-l l. rotatably supported in brackets 135 hxed upon the framework. The other blade 130 is connected to or constructed lntegral with a plate 136 whereby it is connected to the carrying blade for the blade to have movement relative to said plate, raid connection consisting of headed studs 137 passing through slots 188 in the blade carrier 12 32 and fixed in the blade carrier 136, the movable blade 131 being normally urged to a predetermined position away from the fixed blade by a coiled tension spring 139 connected at opposite ends to lugs extending laterally from the blade carrying plates 132 and 137. During the fourth intermittent movement imparted to the box form after the leading end portion of the web has been applied thereto the cuttingblade carrying shaft 184 is rocked to move the cutter blades from the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and in full lines in Figure 20 to the position shown in Figures 8, 18, 19 and the dotted line position in Figure 20 by a cam following roller 1 10 carried by an arm l i-1' fixed to a shaft 1e2- journal-ed in brackets 1&3 mounted upon the base B engaging a cam portion in the disk 56 causing said arm to sumo the dotted line position shown in Figure 20 during the action of a spring 145 connected at one end to the arm 1 1-6 and at the other end to a fixed part of the framework, said arm being fixed to the shaft 112 and whereby the cam 14:1 is connected to the shear blade carrying frame 133 by a rod or link 147. In the position of the shear blades shown in Figures 8, 18 and 19 and in dotted lines in Figure 20 the shear blades will, straddle the covering web as shown in Figure 27. As the box form support is moved to the position relative to the gauge member 74, T l the web will be drawn between the shear blades and as the wiper carrier approaches its uppermost position and previous thereto a lug 1 18 (Figures 18 and 19) -will engage a cam 14:9 carried at the lower end and a vertical shaft rocking said shaft. and causingan arm 151 carried the upper end the shaft to engage a lug 152 on the blade carrier 136 which is position relative to said arm as the shear blades are moved to web severing position, and move the shear blade 131 toward the shear blade 130 and thereby severing the web, as shown in Figure 28. It isto be understood that the cam act" edarni 1 4 1 of the shear actuating mea s on ges the cam portion ll l of the disk 56 during a period of rest of the box support, and during the successive intermittent movement of the box support moved thereto. by the Geneva movement the disk 56 will move with the Geneva member 12 thereby actuating the shear blade carrier to return the shear blade, to full line position shown in Figure 20 and the positions shown in Figures 12 and 1?),

As stated, it is an object of the invention to provide box covering apparatus in which all of the operations are automatic; that is, the placing of a box to be covered upon the box supporh'retaining the box on the support during the covering thereof and after the box has been covered remove the covered box from the support and placing another box thereon torepeatthe operations. For this purpose a box conveyor is provided together with means relative to which a box on the conveyor is positioned and thereby position the box'relative to the box form support, and means to transfer the box from the conveyor to the support whichtransferring means is adapted to'hold the box on the support during the'covering operation and operative by means actuated through the Geneva gear to remove the box from the supportand reposition it upon the conveyor. The conveyor is in the form of an endless belt 155 (Figures 1, 2, 3, 15, 16 and 17) passing around pulleys 156, 157, the pulley 157 being fixed to the shaft 158 journaled in a bracket 159 adjust bly carried at the end of the conveyor supporting frame F, slidably mounted on the standard or framework S for vertical adj stn'icnt, any slack in the conveyor being taken up by the adjustment of the pulley carrying bracket 158. The other pulley 156 is lixed to a shaft 160 journaled in a bearing at the end of the conveyor supporting frame F opposite to the pulley 157. The conveyor is actuated from the driven shaft- 15 by a bevel gear 161 on said shaftmeshing with a bevel pinion 162 on a vertical shaft 163 journaled at one end in a bracket 1634 supported on the shaft 15 and rotatably and slidablymounted in bracket 165 fixed to the conveyor support and which carries the conveyor pulley 156, and connected to said latter shaft by a bevel pinion 166 rotatably carried in a hous 167 irried by the bracket 165, said piniions being kcyedto the shaft whereby to participate in therotation of the shaft and adapted to have axial sliding movement on ill) said shaft with the conveyor. support for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The pinion 166 meshes with a bevel pinion 168 on the shaft 160 for the conveyor pulley 156. The conveyor is actuated when the shaft 15 carrying the pinion 161 is coupled to the hollow driving shaft 24 through the clutch member 26. Y J

The conveyor support is'mounted on the standard S for vertical adjustment by a clamping plate 169 engaging in a hollow column portion of said standard, as shown at 170, in Figure 17, having a slot 171 with an undercut portion of the plate engaging in and with the walls of said slot and in which slot a rib 172 on the conveyor support also engages, theconveyor support being secured in adjusted position by machine screws 173 pas ing through perforations in the support andthreuded into the clamping plate 169. A box guided in its travel with the conveyor belt by a guide member 174 with which the edges of the box at the open end engage, said guide being fixed to and extending longitudinally of the side of the conveyor support adjacent the supporting column 170, the one edge of the conveyor belt also engaging with such guide to be guided thereby, while the conveyor is guided at the opposite edge by a ledge inthe form of a member 1T5 ofangle shape in cross section fixed to and extending longitudinally of the conveyor support, one angle portion of the guide extendingin a horizontal plane slightly above the surface of the conveyor belt. The boxes are maintained in position on the conveyor against the guide 17 1 by a gauge1f6 consisting of a member of angle shape in cross section supported upon the conveyor guide 175 one angle portion, to constitutethe guide proper, extending in a vertical direction; said guide being adapted to be adjusted toward and away from the guide 1 74 and secured in adjusted po sition by bolts 177 engaging in transverse slots 13"8 in the guide 176 and engaging in perforations in the conveyor guide 175. The guide 176 is adjustable to accommodate the same to boxes of different depths.

The means for transferring a box from the conveyor to the box form on its support 3 con'iprises a head 180 adjustably connected, as at 181, to a slide 182 to extend downward therefrom, said slide being reciprocably mounted in a slideway 183 arranged in the upper end of a bracket 184; fixed to and exteiiiding up from the bracket 5 in which the shaft dot the bolt; support is ournaled'. The head is adapted to be moved from the box support and during said movement a suction cup 185 carried by the head axially of the box support engagesthe bottom of a box on the conveyor and transfers itfrom the conveyor onto the support. This movement is imparted to the box conveying head by a telescoping rock'shaft consisting of a tubular section 186 which is rotatably supported in arm 7 extending laterally and upward from the bracket 7 for the carrier 6 of the box form support, and a section 186 slidably engaging in and keyed to the hollow shaft 186 to participate in the rotation thereof and have axial movement thereon, said shaft 186 being rotatably supported in the bracket 184 with the end projectingbeyond the same and having an arm 18? fixed thereto,the shaft section 186 being. held against axial movement relativejto the bracket 18% by said arm 187 and a collar 188 fixed to the shaft at the side of the bracket opposite to the arm. The arm 186 has a link connection 189 with the head carrying slide. By the arrangement of thet-elescoping shaft 186, 186" the box transferring head is adapt ed to participate in the reciprocable movements of the box support. The transferring head 180is moved and urged in a direction toward the box support by a spring influenced shaft comprising a pair of telescoping sections 190, 190, the hollow section 190 being rotatably supported 'by the bracket arm 7; and the othersection .190 engaging in and keyed to the hollowed shaft whereby the rotative movement of one will impart rotative movement to the other and permit the hollow shaft section to have axial movement relative to the other section for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The telescoping shaft section 190" is operatively connected to the telescoping shaft186, 186 by a bevel pinion 191 rotatable with the shaft section 190 meshing with a bevel pinion 192 rotatable with the shaft section 186. i The shaft section 190 is rotatably supported in a bracket 193 fixed to the framework and is normally urged in the direction indicated by the arrow 194 in Figure 1 by the tension of a spring 195 coiled about the shaft secured in fixed position at one end to the bracket 193 and the other end attached to an adjustable collar 196 on the shaft. The shaft actuating spring 196 operates to maintain the box transferring head 180 in position with the suction cup 185 in engagement with the box on the box form and to permit rotative movement of the suction cup with the box it is rotatably supported in the box transferring head. To prevent a successive box on the conveyor being moved therewith during this position of the head a stop gauge 197 is pro vided,=said gauge being mounted ona stem 198 and whereby it is adj ustably mounted on the head to participate in the movement thereof, this gauge stop-is in the form of a plate having an end adjacent the box sup port bent laterally toward the head, as at 199. By this arrangement as the transfer head is moved forward the box support the gauge-stop 197 will engage and bemoved e we the M b i g! r nsfe r d f mi he fro 

